Conversion kit for bottled drink vending machine



June 14, 1960 L. E. TUCKER 2,940,808

CONVERSION KIT FOR BOTTLEZD DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. LAWRENCE E. TUCKER tAxM A I'TORAIEY June 14, 1960 L. E. TUCKER 2,940,808

CONVERSION KIT FOR BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (D TURN nun: TO I t n 1 FL on P05 COIN IN C S I HANDLE AND WHILE REIOVI I-b INVENTOR. LAURENCE E. TUCKER .4 rrbmvsy L. E. TUCKER 2,940,808 CONVERSION KIT FUR BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE June 14, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 19, 1958 23 32 INVENTOR.

LALURENCE E. TUCKER A rromvsy June 14, 1960 L. E. TUCKER 2,940,803

CONVERSION KIT FOR BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

LALURENCE E. TUCKE R BY Z. A. 9M

United States Patent CONVERSION KIT FOR BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE Lawrence E. Tucker, Auburn, N.Y., assignor to Nautalloy Products, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 775,030 9 Claims. (Cl. 312-36) This invention relates to bottled soft drink vending machines and is directed particularly to a conversion kit for converting Vendo V-39 bottled soft drink dispensers from single flavor dispensing to selective multifiavor dispensing.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a single-flavor to multi-flavor conversion kit for Vendo V-39 bottled drink dispensing machines which can readily be installed in the field with ordinary tools and with minimum modification of the existing machine mechanism, which is fool-proof and long wearing in operation, and which is comprised of simple and inexpensivelymanufactured parts.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates, in perspective, a Vendo V-39 machine converted in accordance with the invention for dispensing, selectively, a plurality of flavors of bottled soft drinks instead of a single flavor for which the machine was originally designed,

Fig. 2 is a view of the converted bottle dispensing machine, with the door open,

Fig. 3 is a partial front view of the converted bottle dispensing machine with the selector handle moved to bring a bottle located in the outer circle of the cylindrical bottle carrier basket into position for removal from the dispenser opening in the cabinet door upon downward actuation of the operating handle as illustrated,

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3, but with the selector handle having been moved to bring a bottle in the central circle of the carrier basket into position for removal upon actuation of the operating handle as illustrated,

Fig. 5 is partial, vertical cross-sectional view of the converted machine showing the basket drive unit of the conversion kit in place and illustrating the method of locating the positon on the inside of the cabinet door for drilling the opening for the selector handle shaft.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5, but shows the selector handle and shaft mechanism installed and engaged with the drive unit for rotating the carrier basket during flavor selection,

Fig. 7 is a partial view, on an enlarged scale, of the inside of the machine cabinet door, showing portions of the conversion kit mechanism installed thereon and illustrating how actuation of the operating handle controls linkage mechanism to lock the basket drive mechanism simultaneously with opening of the sliding discharge door to allow removal only of the selected drink flavor through the discharge opening,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the basket drive unit,

Fig. 9 is a detail view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows, illustrating how the bottle carrier basket is driven by a star wheel of the basket drive mechanism during drink selection,

Fig. 10 is a detail view, taken along the line 10'10 of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the driving connection between the selector handle shaft and the basket drive mechanism, and

Fig. 11 is a view, taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 7 in the direction of the arrows, illustrating details of the linkage mechanism controlled by the operating lever.

The Vendo V39 bottled drink dispensing machine for which the conversion kit embodying the present invention was particularly designed, is extensively used and of well known construction to those in the trade. Therefore only so much of the Vendo V-39 machine as is deemed necessary for a proper understanding of the use and operation of the conversion kit embodying the invention is shown and described herein. For a more complete description of the Vendo V39 dispensing machine itself, reference can be had to the Vendo V39 Service and Parts Manual, copyright 1949, and published by The Vendo Company of Kansas City, Missouri.

In brief, the Vendo V-39 dispenser comprises a refrigerated cabinet containing a cylindrical bottle carrier basket rotatable about a horizontal shaft and having three concentric circular rows of bottle holding openings. An elongated discharge opening is provided in the front of the cabinet, so placed and shaped as to allow withdrawal of only one of the bottles each time the machine is actuated. Actuation is accomplished by pushing down on an operating handle at the front of the cabinet, which can be moved only after insertion of the proper coin or coins in a coin box. Actuation of the operating handle efiects stepwise rotation of the bottle carrier basket, placing one at a time of the bottles in the three rows of circular openings in the carrier basket in position for removal through the discharge opening. The actuation mechanism for the bottle carrier basket locks the basket against rotation except upon actuation of the operating lever, so that only one bottle can be removed after each insertion of the proper coin or coins in the coin box. A spring-loaded, normally-closed vending door is provided at the outside of the elongated bottle discharge opening to close off the refrigerated compartment within the cabinet when bottles are not being dispensed.

In the conversion kit embodying the persent invention means is provided for separately rotating the bottle carrier basket from the front of the cabinet so that one bottle of two or more different flavors of bottled drinks, located in any convenient manner in the three concentric rows of the bottle carrier, can selectively be aligned with its proper opening portion in the bottle discharge opening at the front of the cabinet. To prevent removal of the selected drink before the customer has inserted the proper coin or coins in the coin box, the conversion kit further comprises a sliding transparent door, normally covering the inside of the bottle discharge opening, but which slides out'of the way to allow bottle removal after the proper coin or 'coins have been inserted and the operating handle has been actuated. To prevent further rotation of the bottle carrier basket once a selection has been made and the operating handle actuated, means controlled by the actuation of the operating handle is provided for locking the basket against rotation until after release of the operating handle and simultaneous moving into closing position again of the sliding door. Thus only one selected bottle can be removed each time the operating handle is actuated after insertion of the proper coin or coins.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the Vendo V-39 dispensing machine, indicated generally by 10, comprises an upright cabinet 11 having a hinged cabinet door 12 which is normally locked shut when the machine is ready for operation in dispensing bottled drinks. A best illustrated in Fig. 2, the interior of the cabinet 11 is partitioned into an upper insulated chamber 1 3 containing the bottle carrier basket and'associated dispensing mechanism, and a lower chamber 15 containing refrigerating equipment 16 serving to refrigerate the upper chamber 13forkeeping the bottled 'drinks cold. 7

' Rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft fixed against theinside back wallof the upper cabinet chamber 13 is'a cylindrical bottle carrier basket 17 having concentric circular rows of bottle-holding openings 18, 19 and-20. In o'rderto allow free selective rotationof the carrier basket 17-for multi-fiavor dispensing in accordance with the teachings ofthis invention, the basket release wire, basket indexing mechanism, basket counterweight'and sold-out lug (forming part of the original mechanismfbut not illustrated) are removcdi 7 To allow independent rotation of the carier basketby the customer from the front of the dispenser cabinet for drink selection, theconversion kit embodying the invention comprises a'baske't drive unit 21, illustrated in Figs.

6, 8 and'9; adapted to be fastened against the left-hand inside wall of the upper chamber 13 and-engage withthe disk rack 22 forming part of the bottle carrier basket 17,

s The basket drive unit 2l coinprises-an L-shaped support plate 23 the base of which is fixed in slightly spaced relation against the inside of chamber 13 by the use of fiber washers 24 andsheet metal screws 25. The support plate 23provides an outwardly-extending rear support wall 26. Fixed against the support plate 23 at a point opposite the rear support wall 26 is an L-shaped bracket'27 which, together with said rear support walhprovides journalling means for a drive mechanism shaft 28. To this end, the

bracket 27 and the rear support wall- 26 have aligned openings fixed within which are bushings 29- and-30, re-

spectively, -journalling the shaft 28 "(see Fig. 8). The

116 311 6114 of the shaft 28 extends outward beyond the bushing 3 0 and has fixed thereona pinion 31in mesh I'with an off-set gear -32, also'journalled in the rearsupwall 26 in a bushing 33 therein. --Fixedto the gear 32 for rotation therewith is a basket drive gear 34 having 1star-teeth35 engaging with the disk rack '22 of the bottle carrier basket17. (see Fig.9); h V

As best illustrated in'Fig. -8, the forward end of the drive mechanism shaft 28 extends forwardly of the bushing 29 and has secured thereon, as by a taper pin 36, a collarz37 fixed to the;outer--endof which is a gear 38, The face ofthe'gear 38 is provided with three openings 39, equidistantly spacedat equal radii about the gear axis (Sa ee The conversion kit further-comprises adrink selector handle '40 attached at one GHd'Ofia shaft 41 which extends through openings drilled through the cabinet door .12 in axial alignment with the drive-mechanism shaft 28 when the'door is shut. 'As illustrated in Fig. 5,to assist in properly locating the door'holes for-thedrink selector shaft 41, a dowel 42, of wood for example, may be placed in the front opening of the collar 37, the front end of shaft 28 being recessed therein, by putting a little paint,

" grease or other such sticky material'on' the end of the dowel 42 and then closing the door,'whereby a mark will be transferred to the inner wall of the door for locating the holes to be drilled. a

. As best illustrated in Fig. 10, there is fixed to the-inner end of the selector'shaft '41, inspaced relation to the inner wall of thecabinet door 12, a disk-like circular drive member 43 carrying a drive pin 44 slidably arranged in' an opening 45' in-said drive member. The drive pin 44 is resiliently supported with respect to the inner side of the drive member 43 by 'means of a leaf spring- 46 fixed at" oneend to said'pin and at the other end to said drive member-as "bya machine screw 47. The frontend of the drive pin" 44"is 'rounded'and normally projects outwardly of the front face of the drive member 43 at the same radius with respect tothe selector shaft 41 .58 are the openings 39 with re pect to the axis of the of said drive member will rest against the outer face of the gear 38 when the door 12 is shut. After the door 12 has been shut, it will be apparent that upon turning of the selector handle 4d, the drive pin 44 will be rotated about the shaft axis until it comes into registry with one of the openings 39 of the gear 38, intowhichit will fall under the resiliency of the leaf-spring 46 to establish a driving connection to the drive mechanism shaft'28for rotating the bottle carrier basket 17-during drink selection.

As hereinabove described, the conversion kit embodying the present invention also comprises mechanism controlled by the machine operating handle to open a sliding transparent door allowing a selected drink to be removed and at-the same time :to. lock the carrier basket against further rotation until after the release of the operating handle and consequent closure again of the sliding door. To this end, the vendingdoor assembly (not shown) forming part of the original equi ments removed from the cabinet front door 12 and a transparent sliding door 50 (see Fig.7) is provided at the inside of said cabinet door, adapted to slide over-the elongated vending opening 51 therein. The sliding door 50 is .slidingly supported in grooves in upper and lower trackrnem bers '52, 53, respectively, secured against the rear wan of the cabinet door 12 as by sheet metal screws'54. The longitudinal edges of the sliding door '50 are? preferably fitted with rubber seal strips 55 to minimize the newer heat into a refrigerated bottle containing chamber 13 when the machine is not in use. As illustrated inFigI Z', the sliding door 50 is normally in closed position with respect'to the vending opening 51, but ,is' provided with mechanism operative to slide said door out of the way; to,

allow :removal of a selected drink bottle through said opening when the operating handle'56 at the frontofthe machine is actuated (pushed down) by' the customer anarthe insertion ofthe proper coin 01' coins. To'this and, the inner end of the operating handle -shaft-57,".fron1 which the basket indexing mechanism "forming pa'rt o'f the original equipmenthas been removed as mentioned aboveQhas secured-toit one end of a controlleve'rz 58 the other end of which is pivoted, by a pivot pin 59,16 one end each of a door lever 60 and a connecting rod 61. The other end of the door lever 60 is pivoted, as by pivot pin 62, to one side of the sliding door 50., Thetother'end of the connecting rod 61 extends through an opening at oneend of a lock lever 63 and is connected thereto e resilient lost-motion device comprising a coil spring 64 held in place about the outwardly'extending end ofsaid connecting rod by a washer 65 and cotter pin 66, for example. The opposite side'of the'lock lever '63 abuts against a washer 67 and cotter pin '68 to limit motion of said lock leverwith respect to the connecting 26d.

The lock lever 63 is pivoted intermediate itstendslby means of a pivot pin 68a on a support member '69 secured against the inside wall of the cabinet acorn; The outwardly-extending end of the lockflever ",63 is fittedwith a lock pin 70, which :may be in the form of a hardened sheet metal screw for example. -The s'upport member 69 is so positioned against the insidewall of the cabinet-door-1 2, whereat-it is affixed by sheet metal-screws'71, for example, that when 'the'operating handle '56 is actuated,'the locklever 63 will be rotated counter-clockwise,through thecontrol lever 58; and the connecting rod 61, from the position illustrated inEigLZ, whereinthelock pin: 70 is held-removed from theggear 38, to thepositionillustrated in Fig. 7,-whereinz-dzhe means ofthe'door lever '0,-fromthe closedlposition with respect to the vending opening 51 to open position, to allow removal from the front of the vending machine of the previously selected drink. Release of the operating handle thereafter moves the sliding door 50 back over the vending opening 51, and removes the lock pin 70 from engagement with the gear 38, so that free drink selection can be made again by the next customer.

In order to facilitate assembly and adjustment of the control lever 58 on the inner end of the operating handle shaft 57, as described above, said control lever is provided with a set screw 72 for temporary securement. When the proper angular position of the lever 58 relative to the shaft 57 has been determined by test, the lever and shaft are drilled to receive a taper pin 73 at fording permanent interconnection.

When the lock pin 70 is engaged between the teeth of the gear 38 to prevent rotation of the bottle carrier basket during actuation of the operating handle 56 for removal of the selected drink as described above, it will be apparent that any further attempt to turn the selector handle will cause the rounded drive pin 44 to ride out of its opening 38 in said gear under the resiliency of the leaf-spring 46, thus preventing damage to the machine if an attempt is made to make further selection after the operating handle 56 has been actuated.

While there is disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that this form is given by way of example only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in other equivalent forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims:

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and for which I desire to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In -a conversion kit mechanism for vending machines of the type comprising an upright cabinet having a hinged front cabinet door with a bottle discharge opening, an interior chamber containing a horizontally-journalled cylindrical bottle carrier basket presenting bottles for removal one at a time through the discharge opening and a coin-controlled operating handle mechanism extending through the cabinet door and having a shaft adapted when actuated to effect stepwise rotation of the bottle carrier basket for one at a time sequential presentation of bottles to be removed through the discharge opening: the combination comprising means for manually rotating the bottle carrier basket from the outside of said cabinet and independently of the operating handle when said handle is in unactuated position, a transparent door moveably secured against the inside of the cabinet door and normally covering the discharge opening therein to allow observation of bottles in the bottle carrier basket for selection of a particular bottle into position for removal from said basket rotating means, and means controlled by the actuation of the operating handle for simultaneously locking the bottle carrier hasket against further rotation and moving said transparent door into uncovering relation with respect to said discharge opening whereby a single preselected bottle at any position in the bottle carrier basket may be removed upon actuation of the operating handle, said manual bottle carrier basket rotating means comprising a basket drive unit fixed within the cabinet chamber and having a drive gear in mesh with a disk rack forming part of the carrier basket, said drive gear being carried at one end of a drive shaft journalled in said drive unit and extending normal to the cabinet door when in closed position, the other end of said drive shaft carrying a second gear, a selector shaft extending through the cabinet door and having a selector handle secured thereon at the outside, said selector shaft being in axial alignment with said drive shaft, a drive member at the other end of said selector shaft and facing said second gear, and selfreleasing means interconnecting said drive member and said second gear for cooperative rotation thereof and consequent rotation of the carrier basket upon manual rotation of said selector handle.

2. The conversion kit mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said self-releasing interconnecting means comprises an opening in said drive member eccentric to its axis, a pin having a rounded end extending through said opening, meansrresiliently supporting said pin in said opening, and an opening in said second gear and positioned to receive the rounded end of'said pin.

3. The conversion kit mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said resiliently supporting means comprises a leaf spring secured at one end to the opposite end of said pin and at the other end to said drive member.

4. The conversion kit mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for locking said bottle carrier basket against further rotation comprises a lock pin movable into a position between a pair of teeth of said second gear.

5. The conversion kit mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for simultaneously locking said bottle carrier basket against rotation and moving said transparent door comprises a control lever secured at one end to the operating handle shaft, a door lever pivoted at one end to the other end of said control lever and pivoted at the other end to said door, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to said other end of said control lever, a lock lever medially pivoted with respect to the cabinet door and having one end linked to the other end of said connecting rod, and a lock pin at the other end of said lock lever and operative when said operating handle is actuated to move into a position between a pair of teeth of said second gear for rendering said bottle carrier rotating means inoperative.

6. The conversion kit mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein said door is rectangular in shape and including a pair of spaced, parallel grooved tracks secured against the inside of said cabinet door for guiding the upper and lower edges of said door.

7. The conversion kit mechanism as defined in claim 6 including a pair of rubber seal strips, one secured against each longitudinal edge of said door, for sealing the inside chamber of the cabinet with respect to the vending opening against the entrance of warm air when said transparent door is in closing position with respect thereto.

8. In a conversion kit mechanism for vending machines of the type comprising an upright cabinet having a hinged front cabinet door with a bottle discharge opening, an interior chamber containing a horizontally journalled cylindrical bottle carrier basket presenting bottles for removal one at a time through the discharge opening and a coin-controlled operating handle mech' anism extending through the cabinet door and having a shaft adapted when actuated to effect stepwise rotation of the bottle carrier basket for one at a time sequential presentation of bottles to be removed through the discharge opening: the combination comprising means for manually rotating the bottle carrier basket from the out side of said cabinet and independently of the operating handle when said handle is in unactuated position, a transparent door moveably secured against the inside of the cabinet door and normally covering the discharge opening therein to allow observation of bottles in the bottle carrier basket for selection of a particular bottle 7 into position for removal from said basket rotating means, and means controlled by the actuation of the operating handle for simultaneously locking the bottle carrier basket against further rotation and moving said transparent door into uncovering relation with respect to said discharge opening whereby a single preselected bottle at any position in the bottle carrier basket may be removed upon actuation of the operating handle, said means for simultaneously locking said bottle carrier ba'sket against rotation and moving said transparent door eomprising a coritrel lever secured. at one end' tojthe operating handle shaft, :1 door -leverpivoted at bneend to the other end of said-control 'lever and'pivoted at'the bther end of said door, a connecting rod pivoted atone endto saidother end 0f SBidCQIIH'OTICVEI; a 160k lever inedi-ally pivoted With respect to thercabinet door and having one end linked to the other endofsaidkonnecting 'rod, and'a lock pin at the other'end of-sa id lock lever and operative when said operating handle 'is actuated to render 'saidbottle carrier rotating means inoperative. 1

. -9..';']Zh e;c0nversibn kitmechani'smzasdefinedinplaini 8 wherein theilink between :said ;c.onnecting:md;and .said

' lockflever includes resilient means allowing .overriding of said :connectingiod with respect :to :said :lack lever when .the operating handle is moved into .-actuated :po sition.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITEDSTATES PATENTS V 1,879,590 T arrence et a1. Sept. 27, 1932 2,308,989 Melchert', Jan. 19, 1943 2,587,306 Forsthoefel et al. Feb. '26, 1952 

